Introduction to Fiction: Postapocalyptic
Dr. Everett Hamner
Western Illinois University, Fall 2014
ENG 201, Wednesdays 12:30-3, QC Complex 2116, westernonline.wiu.edu
e-hamner@wiu.edu, 309-762-3999 x62247; office hours in QC Complex 2209 (M 3-4, T 3-4, W 3-5)
General Catalog Description & Prerequisites
Reading and discussion of prose fiction from around the world and spanning more than a century,
introducing students to questions of social justice and methods of interpretation.
Specific Description & Goals
This version of Introduction to Fiction focuses upon postapocalyptic narratives, stories that are set in a
time during and especially after some form of massive social collapse. In some ways, these are grim
scenarios to contemplate, but as we will see, every dystopian tale depends in some measure upon a
utopian impulse. Also, we tell each other stories about the end of the world not in hopes of predicting
it, nor just to warn ourselves off, but as a way of reflecting on present realities. Through the
defamiliarizing lenses of these alternative spaces in time, we are offered sharpened vision of the ones
we actually inhabit, and perhaps even clearer ideas about how to navigate them.
In many ways, this is simply an extra step down the road on which all fiction ventures. In our sixteen
weeks together, we’ll focus upon a recent trilogy of novels by Margaret Atwood, one of the most
celebrated, worldly wise, culturally-attuned, and uninhibited authors of the late twentieth and early
twenty-first centuries. Also featuring glimpses of other times, cultures, and media, this course helps
students begin developing rich, nuanced answers to simultaneously simple and complicated questions
about all fiction, whether found in literary, cinematic, or even video game form. Among them:
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What are the differences between a mistake, a lie, and a fiction?
Why exactly should anyone care about made-up stories?
How is the meaning of a story affected by its form?
Why is it so important to many people that a story have a satisfying ending—and should it be?
How does a story mutate when it is adapted across media?
Coursework involves a significant but reasonable reading load, predominantly in fiction accessible to a
wide range of reading levels and purposes; regular, on-time attendance and preparation for class
discussions; regular online discussion postings; three announced, in-class, closed-book reading
comprehension quizzes; and three papers, each with a different analytical or creative focus.
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Meeting, Reading/Viewing, & Assignment Schedule
PLEASE NOTE: Any article (etc.) below not listed under “texts for purchase” on p. 6 will be available
on Western Online under “Content.”
1st WEEK, AUG 27 : THINGS FALL APART
TH
IN CLASS:
~Margaret Atwood, “Time Capsule Found on the Dead Planet” (2009)
~Self-introductions (using introductory survey handout)
~Syllabus review and discussion of goals and assignments
PART ONE: BASICS OF FICTIONAL NARRATIVE
2nd WEEK, SEPT 3 : A ROBINSONADE FOR THE 21
RD
READING:
ST
CENTURY
~Margaret Atwood, Oryx and Crake (2003), ch 1-5
~H. Porter Abbott, The Cambridge Introduction to Narrative, 2 ed., ch. 1-2
nd
WRITING:
~Begin online media and discussion postings (semester-long—see p. 7)
IN CLASS:
~Keywords: narrative = story/chronology/fabula x discourse/plot/sjuzet
~Discussion of Paper 1 and the basics of postapocalyptic
3rd WEEK, SEPT 10 : INGREDIENTS FOR SOCIAL COLLAPSE: FAKE SEX, FAKE FOOD?
TH
READING:
~Atwood, Oryx and Crake, ch 6-10
~Abbott, The Cambridge Introduction to Narrative, 2 ed., ch. 3-4
nd
IN CLASS:
~Keywords: framing & embedded narrative, paratext, hypertext, causation, masterplot
~More discussion of the basics of postapocalyptic: how does it work? what is it for?
~Greg Jaffe, “What You Need to Know about Genetically Engineered Food” (2014)
4th WEEK, SEPT 17 : ANOTHER “FINAL SOLUTION”: IS POST/APOCALYPTIC CYNICAL?
TH
READING:
~Atwood, Oryx and Crake, ch 11-15
~Abbott, The Cambridge Introduction to Narrative, 2 ed., ch. 5-6
nd
IN CLASS:
~Keywords: closure, reliability, direct/indirect/free indirect style, focalization, distance,
homodiegetic/heterodiegetic/extradiegetic narration
~A graphic adaptation of a section from Oryx and Crake, chapter 12
5th WEEK, SEPT 24 : INTERLUDE: CENTURY-OLD POSTAPOCALYPTIC
TH
READING:
~E.M. Forster, “The Machine Stops” (1909)
WRITING:
~Full rough draft of Paper 1 due online before class
IN CLASS:
~Quiz #1 (all materials in and out of class, weeks 1-5)
~Paper workshopping
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6th WEEK, OCT 1 : INTERLUDE: POSTAPOCALYPTIC CINEMA
ST
READING:
~Atwood, “The Handmaid’s Tale and Oryx and Crake in Context” (PMLA 2005)
WRITING:
~Final (revised) draft of Paper 1 due online before class
IN CLASS:
~Twelve Monkeys (1995)
PART TWO: FICTION’S OUTER EDGES
7th WEEK, OCT 8 : IMAGINING EVOLUTIONARY CREATIONISM
TH
READING:
~Margaret Atwood, The Year of the Flood (2009), xi-121 (up to “St. Euell of Wild Foods”)
~Abbott, The Cambridge Introduction to Narrative, 2 ed., ch. 7-8
nd
IN CLASS:
~Keywords: implied author/reader, under/overreading, gap/crux, theme/motif,
intertextuality, intentional/symptomatic/adaptive reading
~Atwood on Flipboard, “MaddAddam’s World,” and an interview with Bill Moyers
~Discussion of Paper 2
8th WEEK, OCT 15 : LIVING “AS IF”
TH
READING:
~Atwood, The Year of the Flood, 122-271 (up to “Pollination Day”)
~Abbott, The Cambridge Introduction to Narrative, 2 ed., ch. 9-10
nd
IN CLASS:
~Keywords: retardation/acceleration, flat/round characters/types
~View In the Wake of the Flood (documentary about Atwood’s Year of the Flood book tour)
~HBO’s coming adaptation of Atwood’s trilogy
FRIDAY, OCT 17 : Cutoff date for grading of 1 half of course online media & discussion postings
th
st
9th WEEK, OCT 22 : THE FRAGILITY OF HUMAN WORDS
ND
READING:
~Atwood, The Year of the Flood, 272-431 (through end)
~Abbott, The Cambridge Introduction to Narrative, 2 ed., ch. 11-12
nd
IN CLASS:
~Keywords: factual/false/fictional representation, story/narrative world,
analepsis/prolepsis/metalepsis, forking-path narrative
~”Hymns of the God’s Gardeners” (with illustrations, YouTube): poetry and fiction
10th WEEK, OCT 29 : INTERLUDE: POSTAPOCALYPTIC DOWN UNDER
TH
READING:
~George Turner, “The Fittest” (1985)
WRITING:
~Full rough draft of Paper 2 due online before class
IN CLASS:
~Quiz #2 (all materials in and out of class since week 5’s quiz)
~Another view: a look at Joshua Landy’s How to Do Things with Fictions (2012)
~Paper workshopping
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11th WEEK, NOV 5 : INTERLUDE: POSTAPOCALPTIC NEW MEDIA
TH
READING:
~Brian K. Vaughan, Pia Guerra, & José Marzán, Jr.,Y: The Last Man books 1-5 (2003-08)
WRITING:
~Final (revised) draft of Paper 2 due online before class
IN CLASS:
~Gameplay from The Last of Us (PlayStation 3, 2013; PlayStation 4, 2014)
PART THREE: RECLAIMING FICTION
12th WEEK, NOV 12 : BACK BEFORE THE FLOOD
TH
READING:
~Abbott, The Cambridge Introduction to Narrative, 2 ed., ch. 13-14
~Margaret Atwood, MaddAddam (2013), xiii-102 (up to “Zeb in the Dark”)
IN CLASS:
~Keywords: narrative contestation/negotiation
~Discussion of Paper 3
nd
13th WEEK, NOV 19 : THE CHURCH OF PETROLEUM
TH
READING:
~Margaret Atwood, MaddAddam, 103-258 (up to “Piglet”)
IN CLASS:
~Charlie Rose interview with Atwood after release of MaddAddam
~An even more recent Atwoodian venture: the Positron series on Byliner
NO CLASS NOV 26 (THANKSGIVING BREAK)
TH
14th WEEK, DEC 3 : EXODUS, WARPED GENES, & A NEW BOOK
RD
READING:
~Margaret Atwood, MaddAddam, 259-394 (through end)
IN CLASS:
~Studio Q interview with Atwood after release of MaddAddam
~Course evaluations
15th WEEK, DEC 10 : FROM CLOSURE …
TH
WRITING:
~Full rough draft of Paper 3 due online before class
IN CLASS:
~Quiz #3 (all materials in and out of class since week 10’s quiz)
~Paper workshopping
FRIDAY, DEC 12 : Cutoff date for grading of 2 half of course online media & discussion postings
th
nd
FINALS WEEK, DEC 17 : … TOWARD NEW BEGINNINGS
TH
WRITING:
~Final (revised) draft of Paper 3 due online before class
IN CLASS:
~Presentations of excerpts from Paper 3
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Texts for Purchase
PLEASE NOTE:
*Prices below are rounded off from recent amazon.com new prices. In many cases, used copies can be
purchased less expensively (try bookfinder.com!).
*Other materials will be posted or linked via Western Online and may be printed on campus at no cost.
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Abbott, H. Porter. The Cambridge Introduction to Narrative, 2 ed. Cambridge, $19. ISBN:
0521715156.
Margaret Atwood, Oryx and Crake. Anchor, $10. ISBN: 0385721676.
Margaret Atwood, Year of the Flood. Anchor, $12. ISBN: 0307455475.
Margaret Atwood, MaddAddam. Anchor, $13. ISBN: 0307455483.
Brian K. Vaughan, Pia Guerra, & José Marzán, Jr., Y: The Last Man Volume/Book 1 (original
issues 1-5). Vertigo, $10. ISBN: 1563899809.
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Additional Examples of Postapocalyptic Fiction
Mary Shelley, The Last Man
Richard Matheson, I am Legend
Walter M. Miller, Jr., A Canticle for Liebowitz
Joanna Russ, The Female Man
Walker Percy, Love in the Ruins
Russell Hoban, Riddley Walker
Cormac McCarthy, The Road
On the Beach (1959)
Waterworld (1995)
The Matrix trilogy (1999-2003)
I am Legend (2007)
The Hunger Games trilogy (novels & films)
Jack London, The Scarlet Plague
J.G. Ballard, The Drowned World
John Wyndham, The Chrysalids
Philip K. Dick, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Octavia Butler, Parable of the Sower/Talents
James Howard Kunstler, World Made by Hand
Peter Heller, The Dog Stars
Logan’s Run (1975)
The Postman (1997)
Children of Men (2006)
WALL-E (2008)
The Book of Eli (2010)
Grading Criteria
~An A recognizes broad and deep understanding of the course material, regular and insightful
discussion contributions, and very strong written work—a major impact on the course’s success.
~A B indicates good commitment to coursework, demonstrable contributions and achievements in
both verbal and written analysis, and tangible positive impact on other students’ learning.
~A C reflects adequate completion of coursework, including satisfactory participation and writing.
~A D or F denotes incomplete or unsatisfactory coursework, unsatisfactory participation, and/or
detraction from course goals (via plagiarism or otherwise).
I will figure final grades using the university scale (A, B, C, D, or F, with pluses/minuses) and the
values below (with minor adjustments as needed). Please note the “My Grades” function on the course
website, which lets you track assignment grades and estimate your current overall grade at any point.
10%
30%
60%
Online media & discussion postings (5% at course midpoint, 5% at end)
3 quizzes (10% each)
3 papers (20% each)
Brief Looks at Assignments
Quizzes: These will neither be picky, insignificant-detail interrogations, nor such easy affairs that one
could prepare sufficiently by reading summaries. The idea is that most people who recently covered all
assigned texts with good comprehension will average 70-80% of the points available (i.e., earn a “B” or
better). Students sometimes grumble about the quizzes initially, but soon agree they provide valuable
accountability during the course and allow for higher-quality, greater-depth discussions.
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Papers: This class’s three 1000-word papers are exercises in powerful brevity. You may exceed or fall
short of the length expectation by up to 10% (100 words); further deviations will cost 1/3 grade
reductions per 100-word increment. The reason for my strictness is simple: a hard word limit is a
reality you will regularly face as a professional in many fields, and being able to pack in more
argument with less words is invaluable. Become a ruthless self-editor: it doesn’t matter how beautiful a
paragraph is or how much time you spent on it if it doesn’t serve your piece’s larger goals. That said, I
am offering more freedom and variety in the topics you pursue. Here are the three assignments:
Paper 1: Select 2-3 central concepts from Abbott that you find particularly interesting or that seem
especially illuminating for making meaning of Oryx and Crake. Develop a persuasive argument about
Atwood’s novel that both (a) shows us something non-obvious and significant about the text and (b)
utilizes narrative theory to do it. Put another way, what can you show us about the relationship
between form and content in this novel that we might not have grasped on a quick initial reading?
Paper 2: This assignment is similar to paper 1, but it is comparative and zooms out to a larger scale.
You are again to build an incisive claim about the relationship between fictional form and content, but
now your job is to investigate ties between Atwood’s novels (Oryx and Crake, Year of the Flood, or both)
and some other example of postapocalyptic fiction. This could be a TV show, a film, a graphic novel, a
short story, or a novel; there is an initial (far from exhaustive) list of ideas on p. 5.
Paper 3: At semester’s end we rest our literary critical pens and pick up those of the creative writer—
and yet we’ll also think about how much they share. For Paper 3, think across the entire Maddadam
trilogy and ask yourself where Atwood has left a tantalizing narrative strand hanging: where could
you insert a “missing chapter” that would mesh well with the overall story and the surrounding
narrative discourse? Identify your insertion point—whether it is a prologue or epilogue to one of the
novels or a “between chapters 5 and 6” insertion—then compose it, doing your best (a) to emulate
Atwood’s style and (b) to add significantly to the trilogy’s meaning. Finally, append a short discussion
(200-300 words, on top of the usual 1000 for the chapter itself) of how you understand this missing
chapter to engage the whole.
Online media & discussion postings: On our course website, under “Discussions,” we will provide
links for each other and discuss additional books, images, TV, film, news stories, and other media that
engage our course. To ensure a passing grade is this area, you should make at least seven substantial
postings during each half of the semester (ending 10/17 and 12/12). A good rule of thumb for
“substantial” is 300+ words; that said, quality matters even more than quantity here. In grading these
at the course midpoint and end, I will pay relatively little attention to writing mechanics, but being
thoughtful, clear, and efficient will heighten both your grade and your peers’ desire to respond.
There will be several main kinds of postings. You should do at least one of each type in each half of the
course. This is designed to afford maximum freedom but also provide sufficient organization.
(1) “External postings” provide a link to another webpage of interest (perhaps featuring a film
trailer, a newspaper article, or some other media). This should be followed by your (very brief)
summary of what you’re sharing and (more extensive and important) analysis of how it matters
given what we’ve learned to that point (how does it complicate, illuminate, confirm, contradict,
or otherwise engage course materials and discussion conclusions so far?). Grading here will
reflect the appropriateness and intrigue of your material as well as of your analysis.
(2) “Internal postings” offer further reflection on an in-class discussion item or a new observation
about materials within the course. Grading here will mostly reflect the insightfulness of your
thinking: how far do you take us beyond the obvious, and how well do you anticipate and
respond to potential reactions from others?
(3) “Replies” to (1) and (2) offer a response to a line of thought or an item provided by someone
else or to subsequent entries in a thread (even if you were the person who initiated it). Grading
here will take into account how well you show understanding of the original post(s) as well as
your tact and insight in providing a response.
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PLEASE NOTE:
The following is part of all of my syllabi. A given course may have additional/slightly varying policies.
My Teaching Philosophy and Expectations of Students
The better we understand each other’s expectations, the more quickly we can develop a good working
relationship. Here are a few key elements of my teaching philosophy:
~I want students to engage me and each other authentically and maturely. I hope this course will spark
your curiosity in many ways, and that happens best when students honestly and tactfully share
reactions to controversial topics. I intentionally raise such issues because a public university classroom
is a uniquely valuable setting in which to explore and learn from frank, respectful disagreement. I aim
for us to develop a classroom community that everyone appreciates and that extends beyond its walls.
~Just as critically, I require students to be professionally responsible. You should approach this course
as you might a challenging and rewarding job, one with tasks that are yours alone. I well understand
that it is hard to balance multiple classes, paid work, childrearing, and other endeavors, but my role is
to challenge you beyond your comfort zone and to honestly assess the quality of your academic work.
Knowing how it stacks up, however hard that may be to hear, is critical for your future decisions.
~While we will be studying fields in which I am relatively expert, I approach this class as a learner, too.
Wisdom is not just knowledge, but humility, a deepening awareness of how much one does not know. I
spent over a decade earning several graduate degrees not in order to hoard power, but to be in a
position to empower others. That can only happen with your simultaneous investment, though. What
you get out of this will be directly related to what you put into it, during and beyond class meetings.
Attendance & Participation
My courses differ substantially from those requiring regurgitation of memorized information. Our
goals include learning new interpretive approaches, understanding diverse people and ideas,
expanding critical thinking and creativity, strengthening analytical and writing skills, and learning
from each other’s unique backgrounds. Thus preparation for each session, regular on-time attendance,
and thoughtful discussion participation are crucial. Except in extreme circumstances, each class missed
beyond 3 (with tardiness counting as half a class) will automatically lower the final mark by one grade (e.g.
missing 4 classes would change a B to a C). Extensive absences are likely to result in an “F” for the course.
Classroom Courtesies
Please excuse yourself when necessary; transitions are the best times. Please mute cell phones and other
potential distractions; obviously, laptops and other electronics should not be used during quizzes.
Finally, please wait to put away materials until we call it a day; I will respect your schedules as well.
Making Contact
Whenever you have a question not addressed on the syllabus or in class, you are welcome to contact me.
Please turn to each other first for simpler questions about assignments or missed materials, but for
more complex issues, email me, ask after class, or schedule a visit during office hours. Email is almost
always the best way to reach me; my goal is to respond within 3 business days, if not sooner. Please also
note that I use email to make class announcements, so ensure I have an address you check daily.
General Writing Assignment Guidelines
In addition to utilizing the argumentative essay revision guide at the end of this syllabus, it is worth
familiarizing yourself with a good style guide. I use MLA style most often, but other styles (Chicago,
APA, or another with pre-approval) are fine as long as they are consistently applied. Please use this
page setup on all assignments, unless specified otherwise: 1” justified margins on all sides; size 12,
8
Times New Roman font; and double-spacing. Finally, provide a cover page including paper title,
course title and my name, your name, and date, as well as a list of works cited or a bibliography.
Unless instructed otherwise, all assignments should be submitted online as a .doc, .docx, or .rtf file.
The Writing Center
“The U.S. Bank WIU-QC University Writing Center is available to assist you with general and specific
questions on writing assigned in any discipline and at any academic level. The one-on-one assistance
available is valuable for generating ideas, talking about global-level issues such as organization, and
even working through grammatical problems. The writing center is located in QC Complex 2219. Call
309-762-9481 for an appointment and be sure to bring a copy of your assignment.”
Late Work
If you anticipate special difficulty in meeting a deadline, please discuss this with me privately and well
in advance so that if warranted, we can consider special arrangements. Readings and assignments are
in many ways cumulative, so it is important that you keep up; at the same time, we lead busy lives and
occasionally other priorities intervene. Balancing those realities, my policy aims to make being on-time
important without making a rare tardiness devastating. Barring extreme emergencies or prior arrangement,
I will deduct one-third of a grade for each week (or portion thereof) that an assignment is late.
Academic Dishonesty
Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty are among the most serious violations of
a student’s integrity and of relationships with the instructor, fellow classmates, and the university. In
the humanities, plagiarism most often involves presenting another person’s specific words or ideas as
one’s own, whether by copying or closely paraphrasing, and without citing the source. Please be aware
that such an offense will at minimum result in an “F” on the assignment and may also lead to an “F” for the
course. We will briefly review proper citation in class, but if you have questions about how to credit an
idea or information source, ask. If you are unsure about definitions or consequences of academic
honesty, consult WIU’s Student Academic Integrity Policy at www.wiu.edu/policies/acintegrity.php.
Counseling Services
“Confidential counseling services are available for WIU-QC students. Time management, stress
management, balancing work and family, study skills, low self-esteem, relationship problems,
depression, and anxiety are some examples of issues that students may address in personal counseling.
Students may call 309/762-1988 to make an appointment with Counseling and Career Services.”
Accommodations
“In accordance with University policy and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), academic
accommodations may be made for any student who notifies the instructor of the need for an
accommodation. For the instructor to provide the proper accommodation(s) you must obtain
documentation of the need for an accommodation through Disability Support Services and provide it
to the instructor. It is imperative that you take the initiative to bring such needs to the instructor's
attention, as he/she is not legally permitted to inquire about such particular needs of students.
Students who may require special assistance in emergency evacuations (i.e. fire, tornado, etc.) should
contact the instructor as to the most appropriate procedures to follow in such an emergency. Contact
Disability Support Services at 298-2512 for additional services” (from Official University Policy Manual
at www.wiu.edu/policies/syllabus.php).
Student Rights & Responsibilities
For further information on expectations for both students and university personnel, please see
www.wiu.edu/provost/students/.
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Dr. Hamner’s Argumentative Essay Revision Checklist (particularly for use with papers 1 & 2 in this course)
The Introduction
1.
Hook: Will your introduction (including the first sentence) grab readers’ attention without being silly,
exaggerated, or disconnected? Is the shift from it to the paper’s thesis natural or forced?
2.
Thesis: Is it clear what sentence(s) convey the paper’s central claim?
Strengthening your thesis:
• Is your claim obvious or subtle? Boring or daring? Outlandish or plausible?
• Is your claim vague or specific? General or precise?
• Is something significant clearly at stake in your argument? Have you provided a sense of why it
matters whether your reader buys or dismisses your claim?
3.
Map: Does the introduction preview the order in which the paper will examine the evidence?
The Body
4.
Main Points: Can you summarize in a single phrase the main point and/or task of each body paragraph,
or are some paragraphs’ goals or relevance to the thesis unclear?
5.
Topic Sentences and Concluding Sentences: Within a given paragraph, do the topic sentence and
concluding sentence fit, without being identical? Do they provide meaningful links between paragraphs?
6.
Organization: Are there any paragraphs that don't make logical sense in the organization of the essay—
e.g. too-short/disconnected “lonely” paragraphs or too-long/repetitive “bullying” paragraphs? Should
any be removed or integrated elsewhere? Can you reorder so the argument’s force grows more naturally?
7.
Textual Evidence/Quotation: Is there sufficient evidence from specific texts (at least one quotation per
body paragraph, as a general rule) to back up the argument’s main points? Are there appropriate page
number citations? Does the paper introduce quotations with a sense of their original context? After
quotations, do you offer interpretations of their meaning or just expect readers to hear them as you do?
8.
Minimal Summary, Maximum Analysis: Except in briefly introducing unfamiliar key text(s), does the
paper avoid plot summaries? Does your interpretive and analytical work stay primary?
9.
Reasonable Specifics, Not Generalities or Overreaches: Does your paper resort to vague generalities
that might describe any text? (“The author uses lots of description to help readers understand.”) Does it
include gross overstatements that cost you credence? (“In this story everything is about death.”)
The Conclusion
10. Closure: Does the conclusion bring the essay to a meaningful close or end abruptly? Does it avoid exact
restatement of the introduction, but still reinforce your main points? Does it suggest how the essay’s main
ideas might be expanded into other contexts and why it matters that your reader take them seriously?
Mechanics & Style
11. Grammatical & other mechanical issues: Has at least one strong writer proofread your paper?
Among the most common problems (beyond spelling, capitalization, basic punctuation):
• Pronoun reference: are the referents of your pronouns clear? Do they agree in number?
• Run-on sentences and fragments: is each of your sentences a single, complete thought?
12. Stylistic issues: Have you presented your work in the most professional, attractive manner possible?
Among the most common problems, especially for less experienced writers:
• Verbal “fluff”: is every word and phrase doing real work toward demonstrating your thesis? Have you
eliminated as much repetition as possible? You want the “impact per word ratio” as high as possible.
• Have you stayed in the present tense while writing about literature, film, or other artistic texts?
• Have you provided an accurate, unique, provocative, inviting title?
• Does your paper fit the length and formatting requirements?